Walking Away
by Dana1
Summary: Face makes a decision that affects the whole team.


Disclaimer: I don't own the A-Team. Stephen J. Cannell does.   
  
Rating: G. Character hurt.  
  
Author's note: I know BA week is over but I didn't write a fic for that week. Call this a late fic. I pick on him a little bit in this fic. Oh yes and one final note have a happy Passover, a good Holy Week, Happy Easter and anything else that you may celebrate. I apologize ahead of time this fic does hit some religious stuff in case you aren't into that kind of thing.  
  
Time frame: After season five.   
  
Summary: Face makes a decision that affects the whole team.  
  
Walking Away  
By Dana  
  
Templeton 'Faceman' Peck was frustrated. It was the two-year anniversary of the team working for Stockwell. They were no closer to getting their pardons as they were when they started. "Hannibal he's never going to pardon us." He said exasperated. "Look at what happened to BA on the last mission we were on." BA Baracas looked up from his spot on the couch where he had his leg propped up. The last mission he had fallen from a second story window and fractured his leg and broke two ribs. "Not to mention the fact that Murdock still has problems with his eyesight from that explosion, Frankie has a scar on his leg from being stabbed, and I had my nose broken, and a concussion, the mission before last. And re-broke my nose on the last mission." He continued. BA cringed at the memory.  
  
"Face we had this discussion a year and a half ago. If you want to leave, leave." John 'Hannibal' Smith said.   
  
"I think we should all leave." Face said. "It has been two years and he hasn't mentioned once about our getting pardoned. I think he wants us dead."  
  
"Face that's crazy." Frankie said. "He'll keep his part of the bargain. So we've been injured a lot the last couple months, it doesn't mean he wants us dead."  
  
"He's got a point Face." Hannibal said. "If he wanted us dead he wouldn't have proposed the deal. Give it some more time."  
  
"I don't know if I can." Face admitted. "I don't trust Stockwell."  
  
"I know." Murdock spoke up. "Neither do i. But I don't want to leave the team. I don't want to see you leave either."  
  
"Face just think about it some more." BA said.  
  
Face nodded solemnly but didn't say anything else.  
  
***  
Face sat in his room later that night trying to decide if he should leave. This was a harder decision then it was a year ago. His opinion of Stockwell hadn't changed. Except now he thought that Stockwell wanted them all dead. Could he really leave the people he had known for almost twenty years?  
  
That was going to be a hard decision.   
  
***  
Hannibal sat in his room thinking over what Face had said earlier that day. Could he let Face walk away if that was his decision?  
  
He remembered the eighteen-year-old kid that he had met in Vietnam. He had a smart mouth and had no respect for authority. He almost didn't recruit him for his team. But there was something there that he couldn't ignore. Something he never understood until years later. The kid was hiding from himself. He was afraid he wasn't good enough. Always thinking he had to please everyone. But he was stronger in some ways then Hannibal, BA, and Murdock. Hannibal knew he couldn't let Face leave. But then again, was it his decision to make?  
  
***  
BA hobbled across his room on crutches. He silently cursed the man that caused him to fall through the window. He stopped as he remembered who it was, and the circumstances behind it.  
  
BA was running behind Face through the building. The people they were after were holding the Attorney General's wife hostage. It turned out the Attorney General was one of Stockwell's friends. It didn't seem like a hard mission. The people who had the woman appeared to be amateurs.  
  
They found the room the woman was. There seemed to be only two guards. The others were downstairs fighting the other men. The two guards looked at them startled. They hadn't expected anyone to get past the others.   
  
The guards charged them. One knocked Face to the ground, while the other tried to do the same to BA. BA knocked him out with one punch. He growled when he saw more coming up the stairs. One of the men punched Face in his barely healed nose. BA watched helplessly as Face went flying into him. He could only push Face away as he fell out of the window. The next thing he knew he was in the hospital with a broken leg and ribs. Thanks to him Face hadn't followed him out the window and only suffered a broken nose.  
  
BA didn't want the man he considered as a little brother to leave. He couldn't protect him if he did.  
  
***  
Murdock sighed as he returned home from work. He was now working at a bowling alley. He enjoyed working there. Well he enjoyed everywhere that he worked. He'd never tell the others the reason why he couldn't hold a job; they'd all feel guilty. The reason was all the missions they went on caused him to miss work. Then he'd end up fired. He loved being with the others and loved to work. He knew he couldn't choose between the two. He knew that if he did he'd choose his friends. There was no question about it. That's why he didn't understand why Face was choosing to leave.  
  
Face had been his best friend since the first time they had met in Vietnam. They had helped each other greatly when they were in the POW camps. If Face hadn't been there he knew he would have went crazy a lot sooner. It was the same with Face. Face had told him many times, that if he hadn't known Murdock, he would have had a mental breakdown too. Could Murdock survive without Face?  
  
***  
Frankie hung up the phone with a sigh. Talking to his father always depressed him. This time his father did sound better. Frankie knew that that wasn't what was bothering him. It was what Face had said earlier that day. Was Face right he wondered. No. Stockwell would give them their pardons he was sure of it.   
  
He had kept his part of the deal. His father was being well taken care of at a nice facility. But he wished he were able to talk to his mother and sister. He hadn't talked to him since the day he ran into Stockwell. That was almost two and a half years ago. His father had told him that none of them thought he was a criminal even though he was on the top ten most wanted list.  
  
He thought of what Face meant to him. Sure he had only known him for two years. But he always liked Face. He was like himself. Had a winning smile that worked with all women. But unlike Frankie Face wasn't cocky. He used his charm. Face knew how to get what was needed. Even though Face didn't turn when being punched, he could avoid a knife. Frankie thought with a laugh. He felt that he was closer to Face then the others. Even closer then he was with Murdock. Hannibal didn't expect much of him and BA tried to talk to Frankie but it never went well. Murdock and Face usually tried to include him when they went out. He and Face went on many double dates. It was a friendship that he would remember forever.  
  
But was it about to end?  
  
***  
Face picked up the phone and made sure that no one was on it. Then he dialed Father Magill's number. Stockwell had reluctantly agreed to let Face call his priest. It was only eight there so he knew he was still up.  
  
'Hello?' Father Magill asked.  
  
"Father? It's Templeton."   
  
'Hello Templeton! How are things? How's your nose? Is BA getting better?'   
  
"Things are going okay. My nose is a lot better and BA's moving around much easier now."  
  
'Good. Good. What may I do for you?'  
  
"I'm thinking about leaving here and coming back to Los Angeles."  
  
'Is the rest of your team joining you?'  
  
"No just me. The others want to wait until Stockwell gives them their pardons. I don't think he will."  
  
'You are calling for my opinion I presume?'  
  
"Yes father."  
  
'Templeton I can't give you the answer. It's something you must decide on your own. But I'll offer this bit of advice. You must listen to God and you will know the answer.'  
  
"Thank you Father. I'll let you know what my decision is. Goodbye."  
  
'Goodbye Templeton and remember God will always be there for you.'  
  
Face hung up, sat back, and thought about it all night listening for God's guidance.   
  
***  
The next morning Face stood in front of the others. He had made up his mind and hoped that it would be accepted by the others. "Guys I've come to a decision." All eyes were on him. "I'm going back to Los Angeles." He quickly went on before anyone could interrupt him. "It's not that I don't love you guys it's just that I don't think I want to do this anymore. I can't keep going on missions for a man that never thanks us with no end in sight. Us getting injured with the possibility of being killed. I want a normal life."  
  
The others stared at him in disbelief. "Face I wish you would reconsider." Hannibal said. "But you need to do what you thinks best."  
  
"Where do you plan to go when you get to Los Angeles?" Frankie asked.  
  
"I'm going to help at the orphanage I grew up in. I want to give back to the people who helped me when I was a child." Face almost said helped him become who he is but the people who did that were standing in front of him.   
  
Murdock just stared at Face. His best friend couldn't be leaving him. He wasn't hearing that.   
  
Face seemed to be reading his mind. "Murdock I'm not leaving you guys forever. You'll see me again."   
  
Murdock hugged him tight. "I'm going to miss you."  
  
"I'm going to miss you too." Face said and turned to Frankie who was standing there looking at him. "Frankie you have become a good friend over the past two years, I'm going to miss you." He said and stuck out his hand.  
  
Frankie took it and smiled. "Just remember the advice I gave you last time you were leaving. Watch your back."  
  
BA stood up with the help of his crutches. "You stay safe Face." He said and gave him a hug as best as he could while trying to stay up with his crutches.  
  
Last was Hannibal. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked.  
  
"I'm very sure. Hannibal you've been like a father to me." Face said and looked away.  
  
"Hey no looking away kid. I love you as much as if you were my son. All of you are sons to me okay?" Hannibal asked and hugged Face. Face nodded while fighting back tears.  
  
Face took his suitcases and left.  
  
The others stood in the doorway and watched him. Hannibal decided a distraction was in order. "Well we've got to think of something to tell Stockwell. And I think I know what it is."  
  
***  
Face was amazed that he was able to get off the property without any problem. He walked down the road, turned back, and looked at the house. He knew he was doing the right thing.  
  



End file.
